When it comes to “breaktakingly fast-paced thrillers” (Publishers Weekly), CJ Lyons is a “master of the genre.” (Pittsburgh Magazine)
With SNAKE SKIN, she turns her eye on a little known area of law enforcement, one CJ was intimately associated with during her career as a pediatric ER doctor: crimes against children.
Just your average Pittsburgh soccer mom, baking brownies and carrying a loaded forty-caliber Glock…
Lucille Teresa Guardino. A woman of many identities. Lucille to her doting mother, Lulu to her devoted husband, Mom to her pre-teen daughter, Lucy to her friends, LT to her co-workers, and Supervisory Special Agent Guardino to the criminals she captures for the FBI’s Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement squad.
A loving mom and wife, dutiful daughter, consummate professional, and kick-ass federal agent, Lucy is living the perfect life.
Until the day she comes up against a predator more vicious and cunning than any she’s ever tackled before, one who forces Lucy to choose between the life of the young victim she is fighting to save and her own daughter’s….and Lucy’s dream life is shattered.
Okay, how cool is this? My German publisher sent me several TV commercials that they are planning to use to promote SNAKE SKIN!
Here’s one of them:
Now, I don’t speak German, so I have no idea what they’re saying (or what the wasp is all about–there are snakes in the book, but no bugs, lol!) but I sure as heck like being called a “Top Thriller!!!”
(you can get SNAKE SKIN here in the US as an e-book, click HERE for more info)
And just for kicks, here’s what the Chinese cover of LIFELINES looks like:
Eugene Lonesco said, “A work of art is above all an adventure of the mind.” A common misconception in most minds is that daring escapades go hand in hand with risk. Sky-divers, mountain climbers, and lion tamers are clichéd adventurers. They risk their lives for the thrill of a moment, and then claim the fame for being daring, and heroic. But what about the champions who tirelessly battle the clock, who wield razor sharp instruments in the great quest of taming death?
CJ Lyons has crafted her own work of art with her series, Angels of Mercy. At the center of the quartet are four extraordinary women who fight to save lives, transform into champions for one another and grapple with making astounding circumstance into day-to-day reality. Amanda, Gina, Lydia and Nora are four members of the Mercy hospital staff, spinning wheels, falling in love, defending lives, and fighting to save them.
In Critical Condition, the last in the series, readers are swept into the eye of a blizzard, on New Year’s Eve. Gina fights to keep it together while her fiancé struggles to recover from a gunshot to the head, even as armed gunman flank the hospital, with Gina set as their target. Lydia’s past, and secrets trapped within, has set the events tumbling forth. The four friends have to protect the lives of their patients, while trying to save their own.
Lyons doesn’t falter as she ensnares readers in the world of Mercy. The interweaving storylines are as hypnotic as the characters are magnetic. With the end of each chapter, brings the beginning of the next cliffhanger. Pace and plot move swiftly, as authentic prose elevates the characters dialogue from engaging to riveting. From start to finish, Critical Condition delights and satisfies – and proves show that great adventure lurks around every corner.
Critical Condition
CJ Lyons
Jove, Nov 30 2010, $7.99
ISBN: 9780515148688
In Pittsburgh several staff and visitors at Angels of Mercy Hospital were shot by a hit man. Detective Jerry Boyle received the worst injury. The killer escaped, but also failed to kill his intended victim. Boyle’s girlfriend Dr. Gina Freeman worries about him because he is not same since he took the shot to the head.
On New Year’s Eve, a blizzard shuts down the streets and strands everyone at the hospital. The trapped includes the killer and his cohorts who plan to finish the job even if it means leaving a blood bath behind. These predators take charge with hostages. ER Charge Nurse Nora Halloran and medical rotational student Amanda Mason worry inside the facility, outside the hospital remains frantic ER Dr. Linda Fiore
The latest Angels of Mercy medical thriller (See Urgent Care, Warning signs and Lifelines) is a fantastic fast-paced finish to a strong hospital saga. Loaded with action but a bit over the top of PNC Park, readers will be hooked from the moment the killers begin taking over the hospital. With a neat late twist, fans will appreciate this terrific tale that inside an exciting plot showcases how far four women have come since CJ Lyons introduced them to fans two years ago. Perhaps a four-novella sequel to see where each is in five to ten years would be wonderful.
I’ve started a blog–shocking, I know! But I finally found a niche where I think my contribution to the blog-world could be helpful to others.
*Marketing with Heart* is all about the people, the audience, and what’s in it for them…just like writing a novel.
Every decision I make when I write focuses on what will give my reader the best story with the most surprises, excitement, and an extra something that they can take away and remember for a long time. Maybe it’s simple enjoyment, maybe it’s a character they’re inspired by, maybe a sense of empowerment that they can become their own heroes.
I was surprised to learn that marketing a business can create that same bond…if you do it with heart.
Too many creative entrepreneurs beat themselves up about not being good at promoting their business (which is, essentially, promoting themselves) and turn to easy gimmicks or spend their money on ineffective practices or just give up.
One thing I’ve learned, both during my days of practicing medicine as well as through my experiences in publishing is that you need three things to succeed:
A clear VISION about what your goals are.
The PASSION to understand why you want this so much, what it means to you.
And the COMMITMENT to do whatever it takes to get there.
This means knowing yourself, your strengths and weaknesses, knowing your audience, and knowing what you can do for them.
That’s right. It’s not about you. When you’re an entrepreneur, it’s all about what you can do for THEM–in my case, the “them” are my readers.
It took me a long time to figure this out, but once I did, it changed everything. How I write, how I promote, how I focus my time and energy.
Now I get to have fun doing what I’ve always dreamed of doing because I only need to think about one thing with every decision I’m faced with: what’s the best thing for my readers?
On *Marketing with Heart* I’m going to post links and comments about what I’ve learned as I explored the world of marketing–and what I discover in the future.
Hope you find it both helpful and enjoyable. Thanks for reading,
CJ
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